Recent rain events have contributed to large numbers of mosquitos and it’s important that everyone helps to reduce their impact.
As the La Nina weather pattern leads to forecasts for a wetter-than-normal summer, mosquito numbers are expected to remain high.
A few small steps will contribute to limiting exposure to bites and the available sites for breeding.
Mosquitoes have the potential to transmit disease, as well as being an extreme nuisance with aggressive attacks during day and night.
To protect against mosquitoes and reduce the risk of disease Narrandera Shire residents and advised to:
- Cover-up with a loose-fitting long-sleeved shirt and long pants when outside.
- Apply mosquito repellent containing diethyl toluamide (DEET) or picaridin in accordance with the product directions.
- Take special care during peak mosquito biting hours, especially around dawn and dusk.
- Take extra precautions when in areas with a higher number of mosquitoes, such as near the river.
- Use fans, air-conditioning and fly screens can be effective at keeping the insects at bay.
These are steps you can take to limit your exposure to mosquitoes, and it is also worth considering how to minimise their opportunities to breed.
You can disrupt the mosquito breeding cycles by:
- Removing potential mosquito-breeding sites from around the home by cleaning your backyard and removing all water-holding rubbish, including tires and containers.
- Keeping your lawns mowed.
- Filling pot plant bases with sand to avoid standing water.
- Securely screening the openings of septic tanks and rainwater tanks and screen windows and doors.
NSW Health have produced a fact sheet titled “Mosquitoes are a Health Hazard,” which can be found at:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/mosquito.aspx
